


a legacy of character and faith, part 2

by merrywil



Series: a legacy of character and faith [2]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Doctor Strange (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Billy Kaplan (mentioned) - Freeform, M/M, Short and so sappy you may need to brush your teeth after
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-04 02:14:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21189875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merrywil/pseuds/merrywil
Summary: Stephen and Wong have a heart-to-heart about teaching methods, and Wong reminds Stephen that intent does make a difference.  Established Wongrange.





	a legacy of character and faith, part 2

**Author's Note:**

> Probably the only moment in DS (the MCU movie) that I found out of character and kind of uncomfortable was TAO and Stephen’s meeting. I do know that being desperate can make people act pretty badly, and that didn’t bother me at all. But the fact that he physically pushed her is definitely kind of weird/OOC to me (mostly for someone who doesn’t really seem to like direct contact with strangers), and I also kind of wanted to explore what slightly-older-and-wiser Stephen learned from that experience. Plus I have to sneak in just a titch of beating up on the poor guy, at the beginning.

Strong arms came up to rest around his waist, and Stephen leaned back into the offered comfort. He sighed contentedly. Nowadays, everything hurt by the time evening rolled around, even when he hadn’t been thrown into a building recently. Getting older was no fun.

Wong matched his sigh, although his carried a slightly put-upon air. “Did you eat today?”

Stephen hummed thoughtfully. “Does a pear count?”

“Not particularly.” Wong’s voice reverberated against his back, as the other man leaned his chin to rest on Stephen’s shoulder. “Dinner?”

A sorcerer’s robes were warm, and hid a multitude of evils. For years since he had stepped into the position of Sorcerer Supreme, Stephen had struggled against the appetite-suppressing effects that magic exerted on some sorcerers. Wong was forever after him not to skip meals.

“For you, anything.” Stephen couldn’t see Wong’s eyeroll, but could feel it all the same. He smiled.

Before them, an open window let in the sun’s last rays as it settled behind the compound’s roofs. The courtyard below them was bathed in shadows. Stephen could barely make out the initiates and masters as they hurried to their evening destinations, cast into anonymity by the evening’s gloom.

He wondered briefly if Billy was among them. It seemed as though the young man had been receptive to Stephen’s guidance. From the glimpses, both sought and unsought, that he’d had of possible futures, he knew that Billy might have a significant role to play. But ultimately, humans still had free will, and Billy could choose a different path. In a moment of dire need, Stephen might use the Eye to find the route forward. But he firmly believed that the less one fallible human tried to control the flow of destiny, the better.

“You are thinking too loudly.” Wong’s tone was exasperated. Well, as much as Wong’s tone was ever anything.

“Sometimes, the more options you have, the easier it is to become paralyzed. Just wondering if I did the right thing today, by showing Billy what the Ancient One showed me. I remember how frightening that was. Simply because we were taught one way, does not make it right.”

Wong’s response to that was to bark a short laugh that had Stephen cocking an eyebrow inquiringly. “You are very little like she was. And that is not a bad thing. Stephen, look at me. Please.”

And Stephen did, turning away from the window. They were nearly of a height, although Stephen was perhaps a couple of inches taller. But close enough that Wong could stare him in the eye, which was what he did, mein serious.

“Recall what the Ancient One did, when she introduced you to the Multiverse. You did not consent. Billy did. You allowed him to choose. And you stayed with him; I felt that. Fear is not the right answer, even if it was hers. You could not make that experience free from fear, but at least you did your best to temper it, and still show Billy what he needed to see.”

Stephen shuffled self-consciously, eyes looking everywhere but at Wong. “I don’t know. Maybe I deserved it. I was kind of a jerk, back then.”

“Possibly true.” Stephen snorted in amusement. Trust Wong not to pull any punches. “But you still did not deserve to be frightened unnecessarily. And you were a good person, even then. As you are today.”

Stephen nodded, although he could still not bring himself to meet the other man’s eyes. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the librarian missed very little.

“But there is something else that troubles you.” Stephen sighed again. He was doing a lot of that tonight.

“Am I really, though? A good person, that is. Potential and possibilities, flashes from universes other than our own. Billy reminded me of it, because he was part of that story. At least in some realities, I met him after I had done things that a good person would not have done.”

Wong hummed thoughtfully. Perhaps that was one of the things that Stephen loved most about him, that he would not dismiss a concern out of hand, or without due deliberation.

“Why”

“Why what?”

“Why did the other version of you do those things?”

Stephen scoffed. “There isn’t always a good reason to do bad things. The end doesn’t necessarily justify the means. I did them because I was trying to help someone, but in the end I still messed up. Still failed in my greater duties.”

Wong was quiet again for a long moment. The courtyard outside was barely visible, at least beyond the soft circles of illumination cast by the now-lit sconces. The sound of crickets filled the evening air. Stephen shivered briefly in the chill breeze. Soon they would have to close the window. But for now he could not move, caught as if waiting for the jury to hand down his judgement.

Finally Wong spoke. “No. I refuse to believe that. You might err, might fail. Even spectacularly so. That is true of any of us. But I know you, Stephen Strange. And you will never not be a good person.”

“And if I do fail? What then?”

“Then I would still love you.” Now Stephen did meet Wong’s eyes, and then almost had to look away again. The quiet confidence that he found there was both elating and terrifying. For a moment, he thanked the Vishanti, or whatever powers watched over this particular universe. Somehow, they had found reason to be very kind to one slightly clueless Sorcerer Supreme.

Stephen smiled, then grimaced as he shivered again, more strongly this time. Wong grumbled under his breath as he stepped away to close the shutters. Then he turned back briskly, rubbing his hands together.

“Now. It is time for dinner.”

“I thought you’d forgotten about that.” Stephen chuckled. One could also always trust Wong to never lose sight of the practical.

“Hardly. I am not letting you get out of it that easily. Also, you can check in on your protege.”

“Ugh. Training students is more difficult than housetraining a puppy. At least puppies are kind of cute, and easy to feed, and don’t accidentally open portals to a hell dimension when they mess up.”

“Students don’t chew on the furniture, or shed.”

“Students don’t love you unequivocally either. Think about it, Wong. I’ve always been partial to Basset Hounds myself. Wong?”

FINIS


End file.
